


Flatlined

by WhimsicalWhespir



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Dipper Pines Needs A Hug, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Sister Mabel Pines, Hospitalization, Hurt Dipper Pines, Protective Dipper Pines, Short One Shot, Temporary Character Death, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25714057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhimsicalWhespir/pseuds/WhimsicalWhespir
Summary: Any attempts to make them hear him are null and void as Dipper feels the dread in his chest grow. Feeling hot tears catch in his eyes from the frustration, Dipper faces them, none of the three looking in his direction, and he finally snaps."Why won't you listen to me??"There's a moment of stillness before Dipper finally hears it.A flatline.
Relationships: Dipper Pines & Ford Pines, Dipper Pines & Ford Pines & Mabel Pines & Stan Pines, Dipper Pines & Mabel Pines, Dipper Pines & Stan Pines
Comments: 4
Kudos: 104





	Flatlined

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is just a short oneshot idea I had last night and had the inspiration to write it. I'm a sucker for angst so be prepared. Not much else to say except I hope you enjoy!

Dipper is awakened by screaming.

He begrudgingly opens his eyes and is met with blinding ceiling lights and a pale bumpy ceiling to accompany them. Dipper blinks in confusion, as this certainly isn't the Mystery Shack. Forcing himself up from the padded mattress, the boy begins to take in the unfamiliar surroundings.

Frantic footsteps hit the silvery tiled floors as a couple nurses and doctors flood into the heavy atmosphere. Machinery surrounds the claustrophobic room to the point Dipper can barely see the pristine wallpaper. Every last one of the devices are making some sort of beeping or sharp trill that reverberates off the walls. 

Dipper finds the excess noise increasingly unpleasant and plants his feet on the ground while employees bustle around him, seemingly in a rush. Moving to the side with an apology, he stumbles through the crowd and tries hugging the wall to find the exit.

Dipper freezes when he instead finds the source of the shrieking that'd woken him up.

Stan is slouched in the door frame with a pained expression on his face, fresh tears welling up in his eyes behind squared glasses. He's very poignantly looking to the floor. 

Next to him stands Ford, wearing an equally devastated look, a hand concealing his mouth as he strives not to cry (mostly failing, as tears line his face relentlessly). 

The source of the shrill noise is currently being held back by Stan. In his arms, Mabel kicks and struggles to get free, globs of salty water streaming down her cheeks while she wails miserably. 

She sobs and screams for Stan to let go of her, but he doesn't budge, seemingly unphased by her pathetic attempts to break loose. He tries to calm her down in a hushed, not very Stan-like, voice but is unsuccessful, as Mabel continues trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

Troubled by his distressed sister, Dipper walks over to his family, weaving through multiple teal-clad adults, to ask for answers.

"Grunkle Stan?" He calls out, searching for an explanation "What's going on?"

Stan either doesn't notice Dipper or flat out ignores him while the man focuses more on Mabel who's still bawling her eyes out. The wounded look does not leave his face, as more than a couple traitorous tears slide down his cheeks.

Instead of attempting to grab Stan's attention once again, Dipper turns to the man's brother for assistance, anxiety quickly rising.

"G-Great Uncle Stanford, please, what's happening?" The brunet practically begs, grasping for some sort of lead on why his family looks so overcome with grief.

He gets no answer.

Ford just continues to close in on himself, a choked sob making it's way past his lips. The man seems completely in his own miserable world, along with his twin brother and Mabel.

Dipper distressingly keeps trying to gain their attention but to no avail.

Any attempts to make them hear him are null and void as Dipper feels the dread in his chest grow. Feeling hot tears catch in his eyes from the frustration, Dipper faces them, none of the three looking in his direction, and he finally snaps.

_"Why won't you listen to me??"_

There's a moment of stillness before Dipper finally hears it. 

A flatline.

Dipper now notices how Ford's eyes seem fixated on a certain part of the room while his brother avoids sparing even a single glance at it. Mabel is bleary eyed but is frantically trying to make her way towards the center of the small area. 

Spinning around towards the commotion Dipper feels himself pale while his eyes widen at the scene splayed out in front of him.

Dipper is met with the sight of his motionless, bloodied body laying in the hospital bed. 

On his chest, Dipper wears a three clawed gash that digs deeply across his ashen, freckled skin. His torn shirt has been stripped off his chest and thrown into a container, now reduced only to dark, crimson shreds of fabric. The wound is sealed, presumably cauterized to prevent further bleeding. The bed is surrounded by numerous doctors shuffling about and prodding at his lifeless body's chest, trying urgently to keep him alive.

Though Dipper now lacks one, he feels sick to his stomach.

Peering down at his formless hands, Dipper notices how he can study the spotless floor through his transparent palms. What he'd previously believed to be walking was only perception, as he's currently hovering in the air about an inch above the ground. 

Dipper's head is spinning and his entire being seems hollow. A mere echo of what he'd felt while alive. 

He desperately wishes to remember something, anything from that day's events. Dipper can vaguely picture a dark, menacing creature towering over them. 

They'd gotten split up.

It was after Mabel.

He moved before he could think.

And look where that landed him.

Facing his sister again, he notices now Mabel's cries have quieted, only a whimper exiting her throat while tears silently trickle down her reddened face. She holds onto Stan's arm defeatedly and cant seem to tear her eyes away from Dipper's still body.

Speaking of which, Dipper slowly floats over to the bed centered in the room and stares down at his own bloodless face. Besides the main injury, dark bruises and cuts litter his limbs, a stark difference to his sheet white complexion.

The longer Dipper stayed in the room, the more he felt as though he were about to fade into nothingness. As though his soul was seeping into the earth, never to be resurrected again.

Never to be remembered again.

But… But what if Dipper's alright with that? It's not like he was very memorable in the first place.

The surroundings become irrelevant as the only things he can focus on are the darker thoughts creeping into the back of his mind.

Dipper numbly thinks back to all the times he's just gotten in the way or made things worse and his resolve hardens further.

What's one less person in the world anyhow? Especially not someone like him. He doesn't deserve a spot on this planet.

Dipper is good for nothing. Useless. A disgrace. All he does is bring others around him down. It isn't worth keeping him alive for all the trouble it'll cause. That its caused already.

The emptiness consumes his mind and Dipper feels as though his limbs are chained down. Mind clouded and eyes heavy while Dipper's world decays around him. 

The doctors are nothing but a blur, noises sounding from around him now only a dull hum in the back of his mind. The pale colors from the room swirl around him and shift into a monochrome state. 

Looking at the family huddled by the door one last time, Dipper pauses.

Ford. The man he's looked up to for so long. His great uncle. All the sleepless nights spent in the lab playing games when the time passed them by, days doing research on shared topics they love, and discovering new creatures to obsess endlessly over.

Stan. His protector and beloved grunkle. All the times they'd fallen asleep on the couch watching ducktective, spending hours on the water fishing and practicing bad jokes, the karaoke nights and failed surprise breakfasts and lessons taught about numerous things that are sure to help him grow in the future.

Mabel, his sister. His twin. His best friend. The person who's always been there through thick and thin. No matter what.

If he...if Dipper died then he'd never be able to see them again. Never enjoy another day with his family. 

No more holding his stomach from laughing so hard when they crack jokes, no more sleeping in until twelve after a movie marathon runs late, no more adventures or games or- o-or...

No.

N-No!

He doesn't want this!

_He wants to live!_

There's a sharp hiss followed by an abrupt buzzing before static fills Dipper's entire being, causing him to jump at the feeling.

Immediately turning to the bed, he now sees a defibrillator hooked up to the wall next to his body, patches placed close to his heart without interfering with his wounds. There's a doctor holding two iron looking devices in her hands and others around her hurry to get the next shock prepared without reopening Dipper's injuries.

What was most important to Dipper in the moment though was that he felt it. He'd felt the electricity running through his veins and Dipper's hopes are quickly reignited. 

He's not dead just yet.

Another glance to his distraught family sends a pang of guilt though Dipper's heart. How could he have ever thought of leaving them? 

Not when they mean so much to him.

Another jolt of energy pulses through his body, stronger this time.

Thinking for a moment, Dipper leans down next to his body and tentatively reaches a hand out to touch his own limp one. There's a pause before-

_Beep, Beep, Beep_

Dipper's face breaks into a wide grin and his eyes pop open with the confirmation that, yes, he can once again join the realm of the living.

There are various positive exclamations that come from around the room and the doctors are back to working hastily, yelling instructions and other various notes.

Mabel instantly jumps up, face still wet, followed by Stan and Ford, both of whom have disbelieving smiles plastered to their red faces. Mabel's tear ducts are reawakened but this time they're back for a different reason.

Her eyes sparkle with hope as she lets go of Stan's arm in favor of holding her hands to her chest, breathing rapidly speeding up. 

"Dip-D-Dipper?" Mabel hiccups, looking at his unconscious form.

Though she cannot see him, Dipper nods and smiles back at her as confirmation. Mabel's not getting rid of him anytime soon, he'll make sure of it.

"C'mon kid, stay strong." Dipper hears Stan mutter to himself.

_Beep, Beep, Beep_

"We believe in you, Dipper. You've got to pull through." Ford whispers yearningly. 

_Beep, Beep, Beep_

"Come b-back Dipper." Mabel sniffs out, balling up her hands in determination "I c-can't g-go on ad-adventures without my f-favorite twin."

Somehow, tears burn in Dipper's eyes as he holds his body's hand tighter while the defibrillator prepares. 

"Don't worry guys" Dipper says "I'll be back before you know it."

Even if Dipper believes he's not worthy of occupying a spot on the planet, they apparently do and, well, he wants to put his faith in them. 

He may not care about his own safety or health at times but Dipper sure as Hell cares for his family. Nothing, absolutely nothing on the planet or otherwise is going to get in his way of being with them again.

If there's even the slightest chance of staying alive, then he's going to fight tooth and nail for it every single second of the day. If Dipper's going down then he's going out fighting. He may not like it and it'll be tough, but it's all worth it to see his loved ones smile. Dipper isn't doing this for himself.

He's doing it for them. 

Somebody voices for another shock to be conducted and Dipper grasps both his hands onto his lifeless body as tightly as he can, once more looking to the three family members in the room. He smiles fondly then shuts his eyes firmly, bracing for the impact.

_"Clear!"_

"I love you."

Dipper's gasp for air sounds in the small hospital room.


End file.
